Bennett Alford Stewart

Bennett Alford Stewart passed away at home in Groesbeck, following a brief battle with cancer, on Sunday, June 18, 2017, at age 76. Visitation will begin at 1:00 P.M. on Tuesday, June 20, 2017, prior to the funeral services, which will begin at 3:00 P.M. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Reverend Steve Nance of the First United Methodist Church of Groesbeck will officiate, and burial will follow in Faulkenberry Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Nolan Stewart, Larry Stewart, Harvey Vogel, Kris Vogel, Ray Shelton, and Brian Strickland. Honorary pallbearers will be Quentin Atchley, Corbin Atchley, and Michael Atchley. Bennett was born March 19, 1941 to John and Minnie Lee (Briggs) Stewart in Groesbeck. Bennett graduated from Groesbeck High School, Class of 1959, lettering in football, basketball, and baseball. He grew up loving to fish and hunt. He always enjoyed being outdoors and loved to sit by the campfire. He has fished and caught trophy fish in lakes in several states and Canada. Bennett made friends easily wherever he went. He married Ida Jean Vogel on November 20, 1959 in Groesbeck. After several years of marriage, they adopted Jason and four years later, Leah. Bennett completed basic training at Lackland Air Force in 1959 and remained in the National Guard until June 1967. Bennett worked several years in the Dallas area before moving to Loveland, Colorado to work for Hewlett Packard Company. He worked mostly in facility maintenance management. After 25 years, he retired in 1999, and he and Ida moved back to Groesbeck. He loved people and always tried to help others better themselves. Bennett belonged to Groesbeck United Methodist Church. Bennett enjoyed sports and always enjoyed his time working with Jason and his friends playing baseball. He liked taking the whole family fishing, camping, skiing, and riding motorcycles in the mountains. Bennett was preceded in death by brothers Billy and wife Juanita, Bobby and wife Tina, Donald, and Johnny; parents; grandparents Jack and Annie Stewart, S.S. Briggs; in-laws Richard and Laverna Vogel; sisters-in-law, Joyce (Vogel) Shelton and Carolyn Green. He is survived by his wife, Ida Stewart of Groesbeck; son, Jason Stewart and wife, Cynthia of Kingwood, TX; daughter, Leah E. Stewart and husband Michael Atchley of West Linn, OR; grandchildren, Caroline and Susanna Stewart, Quentin and Corbin Atchley; sister, Nelda Stark and husband Lee of Bremond; sisters-in-law, Mary Beth Stewart of Groesbeck and Maxine Stewart of Rockdale; brothers-in-law, Harvey Vogel and wife Patricia of Groesbeck, and Ray Shelton and wife Margie of China Spring; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends (especially his fishing buddies.) In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations may be made in Bennett’s memory to Groesbeck United Methodist Church.